Everyone has probably heard that stiletto heels are not good for your feet. High heels push the body’s weight to the front of the foot, causing unnatural stress on bones. But did you know that flip-flops and flimsy flats can also cause harm?

Too-flat shoes can exacterbate problems with low-arch feet, the most common type of foot, says Dr. James Vukonich, a physician and surgeon of the foot and ankle with the Blair Foot Clinic.

There are three types of feet: high arch, normal and low arch. Only about 20 percent of the population has feet classified as “normal.” Some people have high-arch feet. These are prone to supination — that is, rolling outward. Most people have low-arch feet, which are prone to pronation — rolling inward. Flat shoes that don’t offer the foot proper support can make this worse.